About Us
The Parents as Teachers (PAT) Illinois State Office provides support to about 100 PAT affiliate programs throughout Illinois. These affiliate programs use the Parents as Teachers evidence-based home visiting model providing comprehensive home visiting and parent education services to families from before birth through kindergarten. Affiliate programs follow the essential requirements of the model, which provide minimum expectations for program design, infrastructure and service delivery. The role of the PAT Illinois State Office is to provide support for affiliates in Illinois to meet those requirements as well as additional quality standards that represent best practices in the field.
The PAT Illinois State Office also supports 500+ curriculum subscribers and curriculum partners that use the PAT curriculum in their direct service with families.
The Illinois PAT State Office is an initiative of the Professional Learning Network at Start Early (formerly known as the Ounce). Start Early is a national organization based in Chicago, Illinois that conducts direct service, professional development, policy, and research to provide a comprehensive approach to improving early childhood in America.
For more than 30 years Start Early has helped policymakers understand the benefits of and the science behind early childhood education. Start Early works with lawmakers and administrators to direct public funding toward early childhood programs that are proven to be effective. Learn more about policy and advocacy at Start Early.
Our Mission
Parents as Teachers promotes the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.
Start Early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to help close the opportunity gap.
Our Team
Our Impact
Check out the impact of Parents as Teachers IL affiliates